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| Vannetta Chapman |
When Zondervan asked me to write another cozy mystery series, I was pretty excited. Our series in Shipshewana was so much fun that I couldn’t wait to dive in. But that series took place in a quilt shop. I wasn’t sure how to top that location. After all, quilting and the Amish seem to go hand in hand.
Then I visited the Essenhaus in Middlebury. What a wonderful place! Friendly people, excellent food, and several shops situated on the far side of a sweet little pond you could walk around. I was in love!
And that’s where the idea for Murder Simply Brewed was born. I love coffee. I love the Amish, and I loved mysteries. How hard could it be?
But writing a book that centered around a coffee shop required me to step out of my comfort zone. Afterall, I enjoy quilting (which made the Shipshewana books easier), but I’ve never been a barista. Yes, I like visiting a Starbucks when I “go to town.” I’ll admit that I never paid much attention before though. I order and they deliver what I want! It’s pretty simple. For Murder Simply Brewed, I needed to put myself in the shoes of a barista. Happy customers, grumpy customers, and grateful customers. I began watching people whenever I was in a restaurant or coffee shop, watching how they interact with the employees and each other. It was a hoot designing a murder mystery around this group of folks. Who was the guilty party? And why?
I also enjoyed researching recipes with Amaretto Syrup for Coffee. I’ve always been a COFFEE drinker—give it to me plain and strong. Suddenly I was neck deep in espresso, mocha, cappuccino, and macchiatos. Oh my!
If you’re looking for reliable, versatile, and always delicious coffee, then check out Cala Coffee here!
But the heart of this story is the strong sense of community and faith shared between the Amish, the Englisch, and the folks who visit their town. What better place to find that than a coffee shop, located within a string of businesses, set inside an Amish village? Murder Simply Brewed releases in March, and I hope you’ll give it a try. It will be available at all bookstores, and you can also find details on my webpage at www.vannettachapman.com.
Blessings,
V
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| Murder Simply Brewed |
Ps – I’d love to give away a copy of Murder Simply Brewed (ebook or print). It won’t be available until March, but if you win, we’ll keep your name and add you to the mailing list. Simply comment below with your favorite drink on a nice March day.
Although I am told to drink a lot of water, I find a cup of decaf once a day is very relaxing. Especially after a good supper. Carolann Ellmore barlenbay@comcast.net
Thanks for entering the contest, Carolann! I wish I could drink any kind of coffee after dinner. Good luck!
While I’m not a “real” coffee drinker as my Mom use to tell me, I do love the International House varieties and my favorite is, vanilla caramel latte…oh so good! I have a cup and snack every morning between 11 am and 12 noon. Am I set in my ways or what?! So that would be my favorite drink on a nice March day.
Vannetta, I am so looking forward to reading Murder Simply Brewed. I know the Middlebury/Shipshewana area well as we go there often. It is getting to be that time of the year where we will be heading that way again.
I love your books. I love being a big fan of yours and I wish you much happiness!
Blessings!
Judy B
Your coffee sounds like a yummy desert I wouldn’t mind trying, Judy. Lucky you to be heading to the Middlebury/Shipshewana area!
I usually drink one cup of coffee a day—love your books
I love Vannetta’s books too! But I need more than one cup of coffee …
Looking forward to reading this book. I love mysteries.
This should be a good one, Kathy! Thanks for writing!
Caramel vanilla cream coffee is my favorite….. really enjoy reading any amish book and can’t wait for a mystery one!
Your favorite coffee drink sounds mighty good, Jeanine! Thanks for visiting my blog!
Nothing like that afternoon cup of coffee, with a cookie or two, of course. Rachel
What is it about coffee, Rachel? Can’t live without it. The addition of afternoon cookies sound good too!
Hi,I would love to win this book,it sounds so intriguing.I too love coffee and even if I don’t win after your comment,I too will be watching who makes my coffee and ,I’ll be sure to be nice,lol.It sounds like a very interesting story and most of all,full of suspence.I sure hope I do win ,but I congratulate whomever wins,I know they will enjoy.
Thanks for entering the contest, Linda, and good luck!
This sounds like a fun read..My favorite drink is iced tea unsweetened. I do enjoy Leah or raspberry iced tea though. I’m not real fond of hot beverages unless I’m sick or really cold.
Suppose to be peach not leah lol
Thanks for visiting my blog, Donita, and sharing your favorite beverages with us! I’ve never had peach or raspberry tea. They sound delicious.
Barbara Gauthier. My favorite drink on a nice March day has to be a hot chocolate with marshmallow on top. .
Ooh, hot chocolate with marshmallows on top. I love anything chocolate, plus cream and a marshmallow! Thanks for writing, Barbara.
My favorite drink on a cold March day would be hot cider. Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
Hot cider sounds delicious on a cold march day, Library Lady! Thanks for entering the book giveaway!
I’m so glad Vannetta Chapman is writing another series , can’t wait to read it , I really loved the last one .
I drink my coffee black but also love chocolate mint tea . We go to a Victorian Tea Room near here .
Hi, Mary! I’d love to go to her Victorian tea room. What fun. Not that I don’t start my day off with dark coffee. Good luck in the contest!
I only drink 2 things, coffee in the morning and then mtn dew the rest of the days.
Thank you for this chance
Thanks for visiting my blog, Carol! Sounds like you get plenty of caffeine. I found the hard way that if I skip my noontime coffee I get a headache.
I love to wake up to a nice cup of Chai tea. Awakens all my senses . I loved the review of the book. Looks like another great one.
Blessings
Diana
joeym11@frontier.com
Really, Diana? Chai tea awakens you? I might have to give it a try. Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!
I must have one cup of coffee in the morning with cream and sugar. I love your books! <3
Thanks for chiming in, y’all. I’ll admit that I am a coffee drinker. For many years, that was the strongest blend I could find. Now I’ve switched to mostly decaf. 🙂 Notice I say MOSTLY, as the cat woke me up at 3:30 and wouldn’t behave … so yeah. I’m back to the strong blend today.
coffee? YES….not decaff though….my body says HEADACHE or ishy feeling with that. ( some say it’s because of how it is processed). Tea in late eve. COFFEE in the morn for sure! Cream/Milk & sugar? Why yes, please!
Would love a chance at your new book! mandn(at)wisper(dash)wireless(dot)com
My body says headache too unless I get my heavy duty brew. Cream? You bet. I get my sugar fix in my chocolate. Thanks for writing and entering the contest. Good luck!
My go to drink is Diet Coke, any time, any day. Would love to read Murder Simply Brewed while sipping one!
May you never run out of Diet Coke, Theresa! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comment.
My favorite drink on a nice March day is hot chocolate.Murder Simply Brewed sounds wonderful. Please enter me in contest. Thank you for the opportunity to win.Have a wonderful week.I enjoy reading your books.
Hot chocolate sounds delish, Emma! Thanks for writing. I enjoy Vannetta’s books too!
Caramel macchiato is my favorite. Love your books!
cluedn (at) embarqmail (dot) com
That is a beverage I’ve never heard of, Tammy, but I love caramel so am betting it’s delicious! Thanks for entering the book giveaway and good luck!
I have coffee every morning with French vanilla cream and sugar. At Starbucks it’s always a vanilla frappe latte.hmmmm…
Would love to win. Thank you for the opportunity.
Blessings
Oh, my, Katrina, both sound delicious! Thanks for writing!
I love a nice cup of HOT coffee especially with the weather so cold….would love to win this book to go with my coffee LOL
Geri Kelley
Gkkel@aol.com
When you say HOT coffee I assume you drink it black, Geri. Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!
My favorite drink on a March day would be sweet ice tea. Us southern girls love our sweet tea on any day of the year. Shaun Renee Paulsen, srpaulsen3@gmail.com
What a darling picture I envision, Shaun! And I can almost taste it. Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!
Sweet tea. angealchesnut246@gmail.com
I am going to have to try some of the sweet tea! Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!
My favorite drink would be a wonderful glass of fresh brewed sweet tea.
I must have my cup of mocha to wake up and function in the morning.
Keep up the wonderful writing!
CherylB1987 AT hotmail DOT com
I wonder if I’ve ever had freshly brewed sweet tea, Cheryl. Sounds lovely. First thing in the morning, the mocha is what I’d choose! Thanks for entering the contest!
I’m with you, Vannessa! Strong and black! But not bitter…
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comments, Martha! I’m drinking strong coffee as I write this.
Would love to win this new book you have offered! I love a good mystery any day!
elaube(at) cleaninter(dot) net
You are entered in the contest! Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I wish you good luck!
Would love to win this book. I LOVE coffee. We have an amazing place in Westwood,NJ called SOGNO. THEY EVEN SHIP! I think I have coffee running through veins instead of blood !
They ship, Rita? My husband and I just switched coffee brands and bid Starbucks adieu. Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!
Rita Meeker
godskid91@gmail.com
Thanks, Rita, I would have tracked you down …
I’m not a coffee drinker, but a tall glass of ice tea on a warm summer day, does it.
I enjoy all your books. So looking forward to read this one.
Thanks,
Carolyn Jefferson
carolynj67@att.net
Thanks for entering the contest, Carolyn! you don’t need to be a coffee drinker to win Vannetta’s soon-to-release novel!
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Love your books Vannetta and love coffee. Got a cup here now with Amaretto creamer in it. Also like Hazelnut creamer. I like the Starbucks lattes too. Now and then I enjoy an Iced Coffee. Love my Iced Tea too. Good luck to all and hope you have a good day. God bless all from Patti in VA pag1936@yahoo.com
I’ve been in the south most of my life, so I know all about iced tea – my fav is sun-brewed ice tea. 🙂 As far as going from caff to decaf, we did it for my husband, and we did it VERY slowly.
Hi Kate and Vannetta . Love the interview . I love my coffee in the mornings and with cream . Vannetta I am looking forward to reading Simply Brewed . Love your book and am a big fan of your. Thanks for the giveaway . Blessing to the both of you .
lizd225(at)gmail(dot)com
Glad you enjoyed the interview, Elizabeth! Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!
Iced Coffee. Large Iced Coffee. Would love to win. Thanks Susan
Thanks for writing, Susan!
Give me a decaf with cream, one in the morning and one in the evening. Love your books!! jlscott49 at roadrunner dot com
I do love cream with my coffee, Johnda, and keep telling myself I’m going to switch back to decaf again, or at least go half decaf, but it hasn’t happened. Thanks for entering the contest and good luck to you!
iced coffee in any type of weather.
Thanks for visiting my blog!
I love hot tea, and ice tea one for cold days one for hot days, i also love your books and mysteries too, i want to win so bad . thanks
Shirley B jcisforme@aol.com
Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing her love of tea, Shirley! Good luck in the book giveaway!
I am a big coffee drinker in the winter not so much in the summer. I love decaf coffee and flavored coffees are my favorite. French Vanilla with FV creamer and I am in heaven. Love going to Starbucks but I think they are too high.
Thanks for visiting my blog and tantalizing us with your coffee drinks, Vivian! I agree, the price of coffee just seems to get higher and higher. But there were still a long line at Starbucks drive-through window yesterday …
Coffee! Especially if I can add some hazlenut to it! 😀
Thanks for visiting my blog, Christina! I’ve never tried adding hazelnut to coffee and it sounds good.
French Vanilla iced Coffee is my favorite!
French vanilla iced coffee sounds delicious, Paula! Thanks for visiting my blog!
Black coffee is what I have each morning. I’d love to win your book.
I drink more in the winter too, and I also love hot tea. I visited Ireland a year ago, and they are BIG on hot tea. Now I love it!
Gotta have a cup or two or three of COFFEE every morning. That’s how I start my day! Everyone or anyone who knows me, knows to stay away from me until I get that first cup down. LOL Thank you for the opportunity to enter the giveaway. I have absolutely enjoyed reading ALL your books!
Thanks for the warning to steer clear of you until you’ve had your COFFEE, Susan. I have given up coffee several times while pregnant or to improve my sleep, but I’m back to drinking COFFEE too and enjoying every ounce of it!
My favorite drink is raspberry flavored water.
Why, Juanita, that’s a new one to me. Sounds good and healthy too. Thanks for entering the contest!
I love my sweet tea although I am trying to drink more water. Would love to win Murder Simply Brewed. Thank you for the opportunity!
Ahh, the water thing. Yes, I switch at noon from coffee to water and TRY to down as much as possible. 🙂
I always have one or two cups with cream and sweetener in the morning and 1 more in the middle of the afternoon. Love reading and would like to win your new book. Thanks and God Bless. Phyllis
Thanks for writing, Phyllis!
Love my coffee…and sweet tea
Thanks for visiting my blog and entering the contest, Kathy, fellow coffee lover! My girlfriend from Georgia told me about sweet tea. Need to try some!
Milky coffe! With a good book to read!
Milky coffee and a good book sound like a marvelous combination, Ase!
I drink lots of water but I love sweet tea, too.
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment, Tina! The first thing I drink in the morning is a glass of water, the way my mom taught me, and I try to continue sipping the rest of the day. Your tea sounds delicious!